7. Decoding psychosocial risks in the workplace: Fostering positive workplace cultures

Creating and maintaining a positive workplace culture is an ongoing responsibility for leaders. It involves more than just checking a box and requires continuous expansion into various areas within the business.

Lately, the focus has shifted to the prevalence of psychosocial risks, prompting leaders to consider the effects on employees from diverse perspectives. To cultivate positive workplace cultures, it's important to address four key psychosocial risks identified by Safe Work Australia:

1. Bullying
2. Violence and aggression
3. Poor employee dynamics and relationships
4. Exposure to traumatic materials/events

In our seventh webinar, we welcomed guest speakers Bronwyn Dennis, a Senior Facilitator from Sydney, and Kirsten Hartmann, a Principal IR Consultant from Queensland. They shared insights on how employers can reduce poor behaviours like bullying, violence, and aggression, while also improving working conditions by enhancing relationships and addressing exposure to traumatic content.

Skip to the parts that intrigue you most:

0:05 Webinar commences, followed by the agenda
05:24 Poor behaviours and its impact on psychological health
09:10 Fictional roleplay scenario: Interaction between a manager and a new employee
11:15 Unpack the roleplay: Understanding encouraging leadership style and a culture of 'speaking up'
13:43 Role of culture and leadership - Two most critical elements that underpin how employees view work
17:50 Recommendations for leaders to address poor behaviours (Infographic to help leaders)
23:42 Poor peer dynamics and interactions - What interventions help?
27:23 Exposure to traumatic materials/events - How does it tie into the topic?
30:13 - Self-care options and organisation's role to safeguard people exposed to traumatic materials/events
34:37 Helping leaders increase their confidence to deal with conflict
40:21 Understanding the concept of 'Phone a friend' - allowing leaders to seek help
42:35 Constant friction between employees - How should leaders approach this?
46:10 QnA section
45:57 Q1: What are some practical tips to support new or junior supervisors and managers strengthen their skills in this area?
51:22 Q2: Contact Officers seem to be gaining a revival as a result of the new laws. How essential is their role in assisting managers to create safer environments?
55:26 Q3: What would be your best advice for finding your own leadership style?
58:34 Q4: How to handle the impacts of favouritism, especially if it inhibits advancement?
01:01:08 Closing statements, next webinar announcement, and further reading